Truss.



IPATENTED MAY 23, 1905. G.L.GERARD.

TRUSS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 15,1904,

Inventor,

I Htt'omegs,

UNITED STATES Patented May 23, 1905.

PATENT OEEIcE.

Tauss.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 790,359, dated May 23, 1905.

Application filed August 15, 190% Serial No. 220,816.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE L. GERARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, havein vented a new and usefulT'russ, of which'the following is a specification.

This invention relates to trusses.

The object of the invention is to provide a truss which shall be easy of' adjustment, in which the padwill be positively held in sz'tu with the minimum of pressure, in which the belt will be yieldable throughout its entire length, thus to increase ease and comfort to the wearer, and generally to improve devices of the character defined.

With the above and other objects inview, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction and combination of parts of a truss, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts, there is illustrated one form of embodiment of the invention capable of carrying the same into practical operation, it being understood that the elements therein exhibited may be varied or changed as to shape, proportion, and exact manner of assemblage without departing from the spirit thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a truss embodying the features of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a collective detail View showing the diiferent parts of the pad-carrier. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail view of one terminal of' the pressure-spring. Fig. 4 is a perspective detached detail view of the pad. Fig. 5 is aview in elevation of a slightly-modified form of a part of the invention. Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view of another modified form of truss. Fig. 7 is 'a fragmentary detail view, partly in section, showing a modified manner of assembling the free endof the pressure-spring and the car: rier with the belt.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the belt, the same being constructed of a single piece of elastic material which is yieldable throughout its entire length and is thus comfortable in use, while being thoroughly effective in maintaining the truss in position. At one end of the belt is an adjustable eye 2 to engage either one of a pair of headed studs 3 and 4, combined with the pad-carrier, (designated generally 5,) the stud 3 being provided with a threaded shank to engage a threaded orifice 6 in the pad 7 and the stud 4: being riveted to the carrier. The pad may be of the usual or any preferred construction, in this instance shown as the ordinary mushroom type, and provided at the center of its back with a boss 8, carrying a plate in which is located the orifice 6. The end of the boss is inclosed by a cap 9. 7 From that project two bosses 10, which extend into a slot 11, formed in the head 12 of the carrier, and operate to limit the lateral adjustment of the pad. The stud 3 is provided with a shoulder 13, which is adapted to clamp against a washer 14, in-

terposed between the shoulder and the head, and thus effect the clamping of the pad at any desired adjustment.

The carrier 5 is combined with a curved pressure-spring 15, which extends partially around the exterior of the belt and is provided'at. one end with a pair of orifices 16, through which project screws 17 for holding the carrier combined with the spring, the carrier being furnished with a longitudinal slot 18, through which the said screws are passed. The carrier is held in clamped position with relation to'the spring by the screws 17, the inner ends of which engage threaded orifices 19 in a plate 20, disposed on the inner side of the belt and adjacent to one ter: minal thereof, as. clearly shown in Fig. 2. It will be seen that by loosening the screws 17 the carrier may be moved relatively to the pressure-spring, thus to effect any adjustment that may be necessary. This effects purelyra longitudinal adjustment of the pad; but to effect a transverse adjustment thereof the stud 3 will be loosened and the pad moved in any desired direction against the head. The free terminal of the pressure-spring has permanently combined with it one or more disks 21, preferably of leather and held in position by a rivet 22, the function of the disk or disks being to slide against the exterior of the belt under the movement of the body of the wearer, and thus not only reduce the friction between these parts to a minimum, but also to avoid wear which would result by the movement of the spring itself against the belt. The pressure-spring is held combined with the belt through the medium of a plurality of metallic guides 23, which are of such size as to allow free and unobstructed movement of the pressure-springs. The guides, which are approximately rectangular loops, are held combined with the belt by keepers 24, composed of pieces of flexible material, preferably of leather, and stitched to the belt, whereby the guides are retained yieldably in place and serve to hold the belt without restricting its movements.

The advantages accruing from the employment of a belt that is flexible throughout its entire length is that no matter what position is assumed by the body of the wearer wherever the greatest strain comes there will be a corresponding yielding of the belt, so that binding at any point is positively obviated, while any discomfort in use is also prevented, thus deriving all the advantages of an elastic truss without the necessity of employing under or legs straps.

By the peculiar manner of combining the pressure-spring with the beltthat is, through the medium of the guides and keepers-the spring is also free to yield or slide upon the belt, and thus prevent it from exerting such draft or pull upon the pad as tov render it liable to shift the same from its adjusted position upon the person of the wearer. The manner of combining the head with the belt and pressure-spring is also of advantage, as ready adjustment of the carrier with relation to the belt may readily be effected, and, moreover, by the employment of the screws 17 and plate 20 the carrier and spring are positively and firmly combined with the belt.

In the form of embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 5 there is exhibited a slightlymodified manner of assembling the antifriction device with a pressure spring and also a slightly-modified form or guide for the spring. In the modified form the pressure-spring is provided at one terminal with a series of openings 25, which are designed to be engaged by the rivet 22 of the antifriction device to hold the latter in the proper position with relation to the crest of the pelvis of the wearer. This feature will be of great advantage, inasmuch as one style of pressure-spring may be employed for several difierent sizes of trusses, thereby eheapening the production of the truss as a whole. The guides 26 are constructed of leather and secured to the belt by lines of stitches 27. This form of guide will be of advantage especially in warm weather,

where a metal guide might be caused to oxidize from the perspiration from the body of the wearer, and thus stain the clothing.

In the form of embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 6 the pad-carrying end of the belt has combined with it a supplemental ply 28, between which and the belt proper the pressure-spring is housed and is free to more therein, the ply being secured to the belt by lines of stitches disposed contiguous to the edges of the belt. The spring is provided with an antifriction device 21, which may be either permanently or adjustably connected therewith. The pad-carrier 5 is disposed exteriorly of the belt proper and is connected therewith in the same manner as that shown in Fig. 2, except that the plate 20 is also disposed between the ply and the belt, and by this arrangement there will be no metallic part on the pad-carrying end of the truss which will contact with the body of the wearer.

In the form of embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 7 the free end of the pressurespring 15 and the plate 20 are housed between a leather keeper 29, disposed exteriorly of the end of the belt. This embodiment secures the same result as the form of invention shown in Fig. ti -that is to say, all metallic parts are kept from contact with the body.

\Vhile the improvements of this invention are shown as combined with a single padtruss, it is to be understood that they are equally adaptable for use in connection with one having double pads, and as this will be obvious detailed illustration thereof is deemed unnecessary.

A final advantage present in the truss of this invention is that there are no parts that are connected with the belt in such a manner as to prevent of their being separated therefrom other than by persons skilled in the manufacture of trusses, so that should the elastic wear out any person of ordinary skill can readily remove the guides, spring, pad, and eye and combine them with a new belt.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a truss, the combination with a belt provided on its exterior with a plurality of guides, of a pressure-spring working in the guides and carrying at one terminal a flexible antifriction device.

2. In a truss, the combination with a belt provided on its exterior with a plurality of guides, of a pressure-spring working in the guides and having one terminal secured to the belt and its opposite terminal provided with an antifriction device.

3. In a truss, the combination with a belt flexible throughout its entire length, of a plurality of guides or loops disposed on the exterior thereof at one side, keepers for holding the guides assembled with the belt, and a pressure-spring working between the guides and having one terminal secured near one end 6. In a truss, a resilient belt, a pressurespring arranged longitudinally thereof, a pad connected with one end of the spring, means connecting the spring and belt for independent longitudinal movement, and an antifriction device carried by the outer end of the spring.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I havehereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

' GEORGE L. GERARD.

Witnesses:

WALTER POND, HELEN HOPKINS. 

